Echoes of books

I really enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. It was a fast, easy read, very well written, and I found myself completely absorbed in the story from start to finish. The plot felt fresh and original, and I couldn’t put the book down. That being said, I did find some aspects of the story a bit far-fetched. Elizabeth Zott is an extremely intelligent and strong woman who doesn’t care about fitting into society’s conventions, which was inspiring. However, her personality can feel quite extreme. She is not only brilliant but also socially distant, which made it harder for me to fully connect with her. I would have liked to see a more “normal” woman—someone who is smart, works hard, and fights to succeed while still being socially adaptable.  Additionally, her child is portrayed as a genius from an early age, reading and understanding complex ideas, which felt a bit too unrealistic for my taste. This is a trend I’ve noticed in many books recently, where characters are portraye...

When I came across The Lottery by Shirley Jackson on Goodreads, I was immediately intrigued. I’m not usually a fan of short stories; I prefer books that allow me to sink into their worlds over several days. There’s a particular joy in the long, drawn-out suspense of wondering what happens next. Even when I’m exhausted, my eyes closing, I fight to read just one more page before sleep. Those moments of falling asleep thinking about the plot, trying to piece together what might come next, are part of the experience I love. But The Lottery felt different. It was short, concise, and self-contained. It didn’t require that same level of drawn-out anticipation, but it still left a lasting impression. I managed to listen to the audiobook during a simple walk to take my 4-year-old to school. In those 20 minutes, the entire story unfolded, and its sharp, unsettling power stayed with me long after. Unpacking the Lottery’s Tradition The lottery has been held for as long as the townspeople can rem...